to refign fome of the beft Employments in the Kingdom, meerly because They were fo very fhort-fighted as not to discover the Honefty of that Attempt.

Before I difmifs this Paffage, I must beg Leave to be fomewhat furprized at the latter Part of it; where our Englishman afferts that no other Method hath been propofed, to prevent notorious Frauds; for, unless I am very much mistaken, a Motion was made in the Houfe of Commons for a Committee, to enquire into the Frauds of the Customs, feveral Days before this Paper was publish'd. As this Motion arofe from those Gentlemen, who had vigorously oppofed the Excife Scheme, They have thoroughly purged Themfelves from the Imputation of being the Patrons of Fraud; and though this Enquiry is not fallen to their Lot, We may affure ourfelves that the Bufinefs will be ef fectually done by Thofe, who are chofen for that Purpofe. It is certainly the Intereft of Gentlemen, who have the Honour to be concern'd in the Dispofition of the Revenue, to take Care that no Frauds be committed in the Collection of it; nor will They fuffer any to go unexamined, or unpunith'd. It does not become a private Man to point out where the chief Grievance lies, or to inftruct Perfons of fuch fuperior Abilities and Stations; who will, no Doubt, go to the Bottom of the Evil, and apply proper Remedies to it. I fhall therefore content myself with recommending an Observation of the late Lord Shaftsbury to their Thoughts at this Time.

-* "I know very well, says He, that many Servi❝ces to the Publick are done meerly for the Sake of a "Gratuity; and that Informers, in particular, are to "be taken Care of, and fometimes made Penfioners of "State. But I muft beg Pardon for the particular "Thoughts I may have of these Gentlemen's Merit; " and I fhall never bestow my Esteem on any other "than the voluntary Discoverers of Villany, and hearty "Profecutors

* Vol. 1. p, 126.

66

65

"Profecutors of their Country's Intereft. And, in this Respect, I know nothing greater, or nobler, than "the undertaking and managing fome important Accufation; by which fome high Criminal of State, or "fome form'd Body of Confpirators against the Publick, may be arraign'd, and brought to Punishment, thro "the honest Zeal and publick Affection of a private "Man.

I have promised not to take any Notice of those thread-bare Arguments, in Favour of Excifes, which have been fully confuted already; and therefore fhall pass by that ftale Pretence of eafing the Land; but there is one Reflection, in the Paper now before Me, which deferves a little Animadverfion. We are there told, that the Commiffioners, in all Counties, ease Themfelves, and lay difproportion'd Burthens upon their poorer Neighbours. This feems a very odd Compliment to almost all the landed Gentlemen in England, who are worth 100 1. per Ann. especially from a Writer, who endeavours to make his Court to Them, at the Expence of Trade and Liberty.

Of the fame Kind is his Remark, that the LandTax is unequally laid in different Counties, and ftrictly levied upon Thofe, who are leaft able to pay it; which, befides the fame injurious Afperfion on the Commiffioners, comes very improperly from the Advocate of a Minifter, who hath publickly declared that, whatever Inequality there may be in the Manner of collecting the Land-Tax, He looks upon all Methods to alter it as impracticable; and that, for his own Part, He will never attempt it.

Though I have confined myself, at prefent, to the Letter in the Daily Journal, it is proper to obferve that the fame Doctrine, with Regard to Excifes, hath been induftriously propagated in the London Journal, the Daily Courant, and other Papers. L fhall therefore conclude with defiring the mercantile and trading Part of the Kingdom to keep Themfelves ftrictly on their Guard. They fee that the

great

great Projector of their Ruin, notwithstanding his late Defeat, ftill perfifts in his Scheme, and threatens to revive it. For this Reason if They have any Regard for their own Intereft, or the Liberties of the Nation in general, We may naturally hope that They will continue united, and never think Themselves fafe, whilft any Man, who concerted and perfeveres in fuch an infamous Project, hath any Power, or Credit, in the Nation; for if They fhould fuffer Him, by any Artifices, to recover his Strength, They will fall unpitied, perhaps undefended, as a Set of Men, who deferve the Chains, which He hath forged for Them.

But I hope for better Things; and as They will foon have an Opportunity of exerting Themfelves in the Interest of their Country, I make no Doubt that They will act with the fame Unanimity and Refolution, which They lately discover'd in their own Caufe.

D.

No 359. SATURDAY, May 19, 1733.

R. WALSINGHAM hath made fo ridicnlous a Figure in his Writings, for several Months pait, that there hath been no Occafion to expofe his Sophiftry. Indeed, We may truly fay of Him, what old Dame Osborne objects to all Writers but Herself, that the Power of REASONING is not in Him. If He hath any Merit, it confifts wholly in perjinal Scurrility and throwing Dirt. For this Reaton, when his Patron hath blunder'd Himself into any Scheme, which is generally odious, and meets with publick Oppofition, He quits the Field at once, ani having nothing to lay as to Fact, or Argument, lies by till all the Dispute is over; or fome lucky Ircident

furnishes

25 furnishes Him with an Opportunity of difplaying his usual Rhetorick. Thus, whilft the late Controversy about Excifes was on Foot, and engrofs'd the Attention of the whole Kingdom, Mr. Walfingham flew off to other Topicks, quite foreign to the Purpofe, and bore no Part in the grand Difpute, befides now and then endeavouring to befpatter the Character of the Merchants, or their Friends. But a NOBLE LORD having lately had the Misfortune to lofe his Employment at Court, and a short Account of his Services being inferted amongst the Articles of our Home-News; Mr. Walfingham immediately recover'd Himfelf from his Lethargy; feized the noble Perfon's Character as lawful Prize; and fell to tearing it in Pieces, with his ufual Decency and Alacrity. This Attack, from which He feem'd to promise Himself great Matters, had fo contrary an Effect, and was received with fuch Contempt by the whole Town, that I defign'd to have let it país, amongst other Papers of the like Kind from the fame Author, without any Notice; but it is fet in fo humorous a Light by one of my Correfpondents, in the following Letter, that I believe it will prove an agreeable Entertainment to the Reader. Upon this Account only I am induced to publish it; for I fhall never condefcend to enter into a grave Difpute with a Writer, whọ hath funk Himself so low in the Efteem of Mankind.

To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq;

SIR,

TH

HE Free-Briton of April 26, 1733, hath arraign'd you of high Crimes and Mifdemeanors, in That you have given a Detail of the Kġ's Proceedings, in difmiffing a noble Lord from a great and honourable Employment near his royal Perfon; in fetting forth an ample Account of his Rife and Fortunes, bis Employments at home and abroad, his Abilities, SerVOL. XI.

C

vices

vices and Merits; but particularly for the following Sentence; viz.

"The World feems greatly aftonish'd at fo unex"pected an Event; and Thofe, who are most zealous "for the prefent royal Family, grieve to fee fo able "and faithful a Servant difmifs'd, in fo critical a * Conjuncture.

This Paragraph, in Mr. Walfingham's Opinion, justly requires fevere Animadverfion; a Paragraph (fays He, with his ufual Luxuriancy of Style) full of Infolence to the Throne.-Injurious to the noble Lord.Unfair to all Mankind.-Upbraiding the Kg with bis former Favours to the noble Perfon.-Reproaching the Kg with his Abilities and Services.-Prefcribing to the royal Perfon, in the most arrogant Manner. -Dictating to the royal Judgment.-An Invafion of the K-g's perfonal Liberty, as well as of his royal Dignity-Giving Him Laws for the Government of his Family, as well as the Kingdom.-An Infult on the Majefty of the whole People.-A Violation of all publick Liberty, &c. &c. &c. &c. &c.

Mr. Walfingham seems to have taken upon Himfelf the Office of Attorney General, in this Paper; and if He can make good his Information, the very gentlest Punishment you can expect is a Bill of Pains and Penalties. I am therefore furprized that you have not yet endeavour'd to purge yourself; for though I am far from juftifying fuch horrid Crimes as are laid to your Charge, I think fomething might be faid, in Abatement of the Plea, or Mitigation of the Sentence.

In the firft Place, the Fact is not truly ftated; for the Craftsman hath given no Account of the noble Lord's Rife and Fortunes, in the Paffage laid in the Information. As to his Rife, I apprehend it to be no more than This; that a Perfon of great Quality, Fortune, and Talents, bred up in Courts from his Youth, happen'd to arrive at confiderable Employments. This does not feem very astonishing.- As to his Fortune,

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